The Nurture Issue
by Zessei
Summary: AU: Due to beguiling, underhanded tactics, and emotional blackmail Tsunade finds herself raising a legacy. TsuJir, NaruSaku, ShikaTema
1. Chapter 1

**The Nurture Issue**

**Author's Note: **You know I had to redo the first Author's Note because it took Snicky about three weeks to get this to me? She says she forgot. FORGOT! Naughty Snicky.

Anyways, this is a What if Tsunade raised Naruto story?, because Tsunade is The Awesome, and there aren't enough good stories of her raising Naruto (although there are plenty of bad ones). After Tsunade my favorite characters are Sakura, Naruto, and Shikamaru, in that order, so they're the ones the story will revolve around. Deal with it.

This story will always come second to An Alternative Path. I try to update AAP twice a month, so I'll probably update this one only once a month or so. Sorry. Plus I'm bogged down with One Shot requests, homework, work, school, friends, having an actual life; my point is I don't get as much time to write as I want.

Regardless, I hope you like The Nurture Issue.

**Pairings: **This story is NaruSaku, JirTsu, and ShikaTema. If you don't like it then why the hell are you here? Romance however, isn't the central focus of the story, and most of it doesn't even come into play for a while.

**Review Policy: **I freaking love reviews. I try to respond to at least 75 percent of all reviews. I also will implement the same Omake reward policy as in AAP. The number needed is stated at the end of the chapter. The numbers will be low at first, getting higher as I get more reviews.

**Forum: **TNI has a forum just like AAP. Use it for questions, suggestions, discussion, whatever. Link is in my profile.

**BTW: **I don't own Naruto. I do own the plot and any OC's (At the moment though no OC's are planned)

**A Totally Unfair Advantage**

Tsunade loved Konoha. And Tsunade hated Konoha. Tsunade did everything possible to avoid coming to Konoha. But at the end of the day, she really did love Konoha, so here she was, playing doctor in a way she hadn't in years and generally being miserable and snappish to any who dared to talk to her—including patients, other doctors, and Shizune.

Tsunade walked quickly down the hall, her heels snapping as only the heels of a doctor could. The sound reverberated off the dingy walls (when were they last cleaned?) and the ugly linoleum. She was wearing scrubs she'd stolen from someone and her hair was pulled into a bun, she didn't want to risk a pigtail falling over her shoulder into a wound. Blood was damn hard to get out of blonde hair.

She stopped at the door to a room. Inside the room six beds—only two of them actually belonging to the hospital—were crammed together; each holding a different injured shinobi. Tsunade took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She counted to ten as she exhaled and opened the door, squaring her shoulders as she entered.

Once inside she began to do her rounds. Checking vitals, changing bandages, applying green healing chakra where she could afford it, reminding herself that she had to save most of her energy for the surgeries scheduled later in the day.

Every time she saw a bloody wound, partially healed though they were, she flinched. Just a little. The trained shinobi in the room caught it but said nothing. They had seen what she had done to another man who had asked about it the day before. Tsunade had not cared that he was technically her patient.

As she finally finished she stepped outside the room and continued down the hall once again. This time she stopped at a window and looked out at the view.

Tsunade was only on the first floor. And the hospital wasn't in the best location for seeing over the village. However it was easy to see the destruction. Fire damage, earthquake damage, and flood damage had brought the once glorious Konoha to its knees. It was amazing the natural disasters that the Kyuubi could cause when it wanted.

And it's not like a man can really fight against nature.

Tsunade sighed as she turned away from the depressing sight.

A week and a half had passed, but little had been done. Until money could be found and supplies acquired, buildings could not be rebuilt. Those that had been able to flee Konoha had not yet returned to take up the lives they'd left there. Robbers and gangs were everywhere, taking advantage of the situation to do as they pleased.

The shinobi, that weren't either in the hospital or being buried, were running around trying to contain the chaos. It wasn't really enough, though.

"It's a sad sight to see, isn't it, Tsunade-chan." The Sandaime stood there smiling at her fondly. They hadn't really had a chance to talk since she arrived two days prior.

"Hello, Sensei." Tsunade bowed slightly, years of learning manners as a child not yet undone by her now careless and oft times crude lifestyle.

"Hello, Tsunade-chan. You're looking well." Tsunade snorted at him.

Her fortieth birthday a few years ago had awoken in her a great fear of ageing. The thought of getting old and just fading away terrified her. She knew that if she hadn't died yet as a ninja the likelihood of her doing so was slim. Going out in a blaze of glory was preferable to fading into nothingness; old, alone, and forgotten.

So, in order to combat that strange gripping fear that grew stronger every time she looked in a mirror, she'd developed a powerful Genjutsu tied directly into her chakra pathways. She no longer had to see her progressively graying hair or each new line at the corners of her eyes or mouth.

Much to her chagrin though, she still felt herself getting older. It took a little longer in the morning for her joints to loosen, took a little shorter for them to stiffen, took more out of her to fight, took less sake to feel the affects the next day.

Getting old bites.

"I would say the same of you Sensei, but I'd be lying." Tsunade told him rather harshly. She loved and respected the Sandaime greatly, but she didn't really like him much, not today anyway. Plus the Sandaime seemed to have magically gained twenty years since she last saw him six months ago.

"These are tough times, Tsunade-chan." Sarutobi sighed. "Walk with me, please?" He held his arm out to her and she took it with only a little hesitation.

"How's your little apprentice, Shizune, was it?" Sarutobi asked her as they made their way through the halls, being greeted and bowed at by doctors, nurses, shinobi, and civilians alike.

"Yes, Shizune." Tsunade frowned as she thought about the girl in question. At sixteen, the girl was idyllic and optimistic, but that might change after seeing Konoha like this. Tsunade really hoped it wouldn't. As much as that cheerfully idyllic optimism annoyed her, she didn't want to see it gone. She didn't want to see Shizune broken. "She's a hard worker and bright but…" She trailed off feeling as though she were betraying her apprentice by what she would say next.

"But she lacks the raw talent needed for the art?" The Sandaime finished for her.

"…Yes." Tsunade agreed with a sigh. "Hard work, blind determination, and a sharp mind can only take you so far sometimes. She's better than the average doctor, the ones who aren't medic-nins, but I don't think she'll ever climb to my level, much less surpass me."

"You want her to surpass you?" He asked conversationally as they began walking up a flight of stairs.

"I want to leave at least one thing in this world that I know can carry on my name. I want to leave sometime that will be remembered long after I'm forgot." Tsunade told him.

"Tsunade, my dear, you aren't that old yet. Don't you think this talk is a bit morbid?" He smiled as he said it, leading the way down another hall.

"Sensei, the lifespan of an average Shinobi is shorter than that of the average pigeon. I don't think it's morbid to think about these things. It's practical." Tsunade replied just a touch bitterly.

"So you want to leave behind a legacy?" Sarutobi asked her.

"Yes." Tsunade nodded. "And as much as I love Shizune, I don't think she's it."

"Perhaps someone else might be, though?" Sarutobi stopped walking as they reached a door. Two ANBU stood guard at the door and a light shown from underneath the crack. "Come. There is someone I'd like you to meet." He nodded at the guards and opened the door, beckoning her to precede him.

"Who are you…" She cut off as she caught sight of what, or rather who, was in the room.

The white haired Jiraiya stood making weird faces at the bundle of blankets in his arms. Tsunade was about to ask him if he'd finally had one too many hits to the head and lost his marbles, when the bundle shifted and gurgled. Last she checked, blankets didn't gurgle.

She was standing in front of Jiraiya, peering down into the layers of blankets, before she'd even consciously recognized the action.

"Hey, Tsunade," Jiraiya said softly, "what's up?" He grinned at her but she ignored him, lifting a hand to move the blanket a little.

Brilliant blue eyes meet her gold-brown ones and she was left staring at the face of a tiny, baby boy.

"Who…" She mumbled.

"This is Uzumaki Naruto." Sarutobi said as he walked up to the threesome.

"Uzumaki…" Tsunade's eyes swung from Sarutobi to Jiraiya back to Naruto again. "Like Uzumaki Kushina?"

"Yes." The Sandaime answered tiredly. "This is Minato's and Kushina's child."

"Oh." Tsunade looked at the little boy again. He blinked at her and reached a tiny hand out, Tsunade reached out a finger as well and let him grab onto it.

"Here. You can hold him." Jiraiya said, holding the child out to her.

She took him delicately. He gurgled at her. She felt her heart clench. When had she started wanting a child so badly? Tonight? Yesterday? Some years ago? Or maybe this want was something women were born with.

"I don't understand." She murmured as she began bouncing the child lightly in her arms. "Why doesn't he have Minato-kun's name?"

"You haven't heard?" Jiraiya looked at her in shock.

"Heard what?" She frowned at him.

Jiraiya and the Sandaime exchanged glances before the Sandaime opened his mouth to speak.

"Naruto is the child Minato used to seal the Kyuubi in." The Sandaime told her, looking at the baby with sad eyes.

"What?!" Tsunade gasped in shock.

"Come on, Tsunade-hime. You know they only way to contain a Bijuu is to seal it away in to a child—the younger the better. Naruto here was born October 10th." Jiraiya smiled sadly down at Naruto, poking him lightly in the stomach to get another little gurgle.

"But his own child?" Tsunade hissed, trying not to yell while holding the small child. The child that was beginning to yawn and blink tiredly at them.

"Do you really think Minato would use anyone else's?" Sarutobi asked her pointedly.

"Well, no." Tsunade admitted, slowly rocking Naruto back and forth. "He always was ridiculously idealistic."

"There's nothing wrong with being idealistic, Tsunade-chan." Sarutobi reminded her gently.

"Sure there isn't." Tsunade sent him a harsh glare. "As far as I can see, being idealistic gets you nothing but killed."

The Sandaime and Jiraiya sighed in unison, but didn't try to dispute her statement. Tsunade's bitterness and grief was a deep ragged wound and the two honestly didn't know how to go about healing it without first rubbing salt into it, something neither wanted to do.

"Where's Kushina?" Tsunade finally asked into the silence her last statement had made.

"Kushina died in childbirth." Sarutobi told her. "It was a hard labor and there just weren't enough competent doctors to help her at the time. By the time a doctor made it to the room Kushina had already lost too much blood. The civilian helping with her labor hadn't known how to help her."

"So he's alone." Tsunade looked down into the peaceful face of the sleeping baby.

"He doesn't have to be." The Sandaime gave her a piercing look.

"What?" Tsunade felt her eyes widen as she came to realization. "No, no way. You are not foisting a baby on me."

"Wait—what?" Jiraiya looked between the two in confusion. "Wait, I'm Naruto's guardian."

"What?" Tsunade asked again as she turned to look at Jiraiya. "You?!" Her voice was full of shock.

"Yes, me. Is it really that unbelievable?" Jiraiya huffed in offense.

"Yes. Who would trust you to look after a child?" Tsunade rolled her eyes at him.

"Minato, obviously." Jiraiya responded.

"Like I said, ridiculously idealistic." Tsunade paced over towards the crib in one corner of the room. She gently placed the sleeping Naruto down and covered him with a small orange blanket.

"Hey!" Jiraiya called, only to be harshly shushed by the other two adults in the room.

"Jiraiya, do you honestly believe you could provide the level of care Naruto would need? You have duties elsewhere and you can't raise a baby on the road." Sarutobi asked him kindly. "I know you would give him your best, but I'm afraid he needs more than that."

"And you think I'd be a better choice?" Tsunade raised a perfectly arched brow at him. "I'm a gambler, remember? I drink a lot. I have a horrible attitude towards shinobi, Kages, and Hidden Villages. I travel a lot. Why would I be any better than Jiraiya?"

"Because you can afford to stay here." Sarutobi told her.

"But I don't want to." Tsunade spoke slowly and carefully, as if speaking to child.

"Tsunade, I understand your hesitation, I really do, but don't you think it's time you grew up and confronted your grief?" Sarutobi's words were harsh but his eyes were gentle as he looked at the now shocked woman.

"I—how, _how dare you!?_" Tsunade hissed venomously at him, her eyes narrowed and her nostrils flaring. "I lost the two most important people in the world to me to this damn village and that damn dream to be Hokage. I will not stay here."

"Tsunade, please! The child needs someone to look after him, to care for him." Sarutobi beseeched her.

"Why can't someone else do it?" Tsunade bit out stubbornly as she crossed her arms over her ample chest.

"There have already been three assassination attempts on the boy." Jiraiya told her. "I don't think there really is anyone else who could or would take him in."

"Why would anyone try to kill a baby!?" Tsunade called out in shock, a bit too loudly if the sudden cries from the crib were any indication. Clamping a hand over her mouth Tsunade quickly bustled over to the crib and leaned down into it, gently lifting Naruto up and out it. "There, there, I'm sorry." She cooed as she gently bounced him up and down. He gave a few last sniffles before quieting down.

"They aren't thinking about it as trying to kill a baby. They see it as trying to kill a monster." Sarutobi looked fondly at the sight of Tsunade rocking the little blonde boy. "I hadn't wanted the general populace to know of his status of Jinchuuriki, but trying to keep a secret with shinobi around can be harder than holding water in your hands at times. As they say, bad news spreads fast, and it wasn't long before everyone knew."

"Why didn't I know?" Tsunade commented.

"Well, you just got here, and you haven't exactly been communicative with people." Jiraiya said, scratching his chin.

Tsunade blushed lightly. She hadn't said anything to anyone unless it was 'Turn your head and cough' or 'Move, idiot!' or something of that nature.

"As I was saying though, the people are hurting, they are hurting and they are angry and they don't have anyone to take it out on except this little guy." Sarutobi reached over to tweak Naruto's foot. "We can't really blame them. You did the same thing, Tsunade."

"What are you talking about?" Tsunade frowned at him.

"You did the same thing when Dan and Nawaki died, Tsunade-hime." Jiraiya said as he laid a heavy palm on her shoulder. "You blamed Konoha for it and so you left, not caring if it hurt anyone here."

"That's completely different! Konoha was at fault! And I never actually tried to attack Konoha." Tsunade argued in her defense.

"Maybe Konoha _was_ at fault, but you didn't just blame the village, you blamed everyone in it. And by leaving you took our best doctor, by far, from the village. How many people do you think died here that you could have saved?" Sarutobi pointed out.

"And what about Shizune? Because of your issues with Konoha, you've taken her from her home and her friends. Can you honestly say that hasn't hurt her even a little?" Jiraiya added.

"You aren't being fair." Tsunade claimed, distress evident in her voice.

"Tsunade, you of all people should know that nothing and no one is ever fair." Sarutobi looked at her, slightly disappointed.

Tsunade had nothing to say to that and merely shifted Naruto around in her arms.

"Maybe you're right, maybe I shouldn't be blaming all of them. I know I shouldn't, but that doesn't change my feelings, and that doesn't change the issue at hand! I wouldn't make a good parent for anyone!" Tsunade exclaimed.

"I don't expect your feelings to change overnight, healing takes time, as you undoubtedly know." Tsunade snorted at Sarutobi. "As for Naruto, I think you'd make an excellent parent. You know how to take care of children, and you obviously care, even if you don't want to."

"I still don't think I'm the best choice." Tsunade frowned at him.

"Yeah, but you're the only one." Jiraiya argued back. "Think about it, people aren't going to forget about the Kyuubi anytime soon, and it's not like we can force them to understand that Naruto is just a baby, nothing to do with the monster that destroyed their lives. People, civilians and shinobi alike, will come after him, and even if they don't outright attack him they'll try something I'm sure. Fear, hate, anger, and hurt don't just go away. He needs someone strong enough to protect him."

"No one can say they doubt your strength. And if people see that one of the Sannin trusts him, loves him, and cares for him, well, maybe their opinions will start to change." Sarutobi concluded for Jiraiya.

"There must be others strong enough to--" Tsunade began before Jiraiya cut her off.

"Even if some other shinobi were strong enough and didn't harbor ill will towards the boy, do you think they could stand the social pressure? You know how people act, Tsunade! You and me, we're above reproach to most people, but you're average Jounin or Chuunin isn't."

"This conversation is pointless!" Tsunade barked out. "I cannot be made to care for him for the rest of my life!"

"No one said you would have to. If it makes you feel better I'll try to find and alternative home for him." Sarutobi soothed. "Think of it as babysitting. You might only have to watch him for a couple of months or so."

Now Sarutobi didn't believe this for a minute, but he'd say almost anything to get Tsunade to agree.

Tsunade looked down at the tiny person in her arms and he smiled back up at her. Tsunade felt her heart clench and she knew she was about to do something she'd end up regretting.

"Fine. But just for a couple of months." She agreed. Sarutobi smiled and thanked her and Jiraiya whooped, taking Naruto out of her arms to spin him around a couple of times.

After reclaiming Naruto and hitting Jiraiya over the head, Tsunade left with Sarutobi to work out the logistics of her supposedly temporary guardianship.

---

Four months later and Tsunade knew she was doomed. Although, if this was what doom looked like, maybe it wasn't so bad, she thought as she stared into the deep blue eyes of the four month old she was trying to get to take his bottle.

"Come on, Naru-chan. Please drink it. I know its icky formula but it will make you grow up to be big and strong and handsome." She cooed to the baby but his lips remained stubbornly closed.

Tsunade sighed as she gave up, setting the bottle back in the fridge and moving back into the living room of the small house she was renting with Shizune.

"So you don't want your bottle, what do you want?" Tsunade murmured more to herself than the small child in her arms. "How about a book? You want to read a book?" She picked one off the shelf and settled herself onto the floor to read it. She placed Naruto next to her on a small blanket and flipped open the picture book to read. As she read aloud, Naruto would giggle and gurgle at odd intervals, not understanding any of the words but liking the tone of Tsunade's voice as she read.

"I'm back Tsunade-sama!" A voice called from the front door as Shizune made her way inside.

"How was the hospital?" Tsunade asked her. Tsunade went to the hospital only twice a week. They needed the money, but Tsunade still didn't like having to deal with people or the blood they would undoubtedly be leaking, so she managed to stay home with Naruto most of the time and send Shizune to get the majority of their income, claiming it was safer for Naruto to be with her and that Shizune could use the practice, anyway.

"Fine, although I'm pretty sure most shinobi are incurably stupid." Shizune sighed as she bent down to pick up Naruto. "And how is little Naru-chan today?" She said as she made a funny face. Naruto squealed in joy and tried to grab onto a chunk of Shizune's hair. The girl deftly moved her head to the side, wise to this trick of Naruto's.

"Little Naru-chan is refusing his bottle again." Tsunade muttered, rolling her eyes at the display in front of her. "What did some idiot shinobi do to himself today?"

"Wondered into his own trap that he had just set and got two kunai in the leg." Shizune sighed as she shook her head. "I wonder why they are even allowed to become shinobi in the first place."

"Simple. Cannon fodder." Tsunade told her a bit bitterly as she plucked Naruto from Shizune's arms. "Any word from Sarutobi-sensei about getting Naruto a permanent home?" She asked every day but the more time passes the more and more she secretly wanted the answer to be no.

"No. Seems no one is willing to take him in, still." Shizune sighed before gathering the courage to say something she'd been wanting to say for weeks now. "Tsunade-sama, would it really be so bad to stay here and raise Naru-chan? I love him so much, and I know you do, too. Can't we stay here?"

"Shizune it's not… It's just not that simple." Tsunade sighed as she carried Naruto into the kitchen, to try once again to feed him.

"Only because you won't let it be!" Shizune argued before softening up. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell." She bowed her head.

"It's okay Shizune." Tsunade closed her eyes in thought. "I know you care about the little rug rat. I do, too. I just don't know how much longer I can stand to stay in this place."

That wasn't completely the truth. The truth was that as time passed it was getting easier and easier to stay, to live here, and that very fact scared her. The more time she spent with Naruto, the more she felt like she was forgetting Dan, Nawaki, and her grief, and that made her feel guilty. But then, the idea of giving Naruto up to some other person made her feel guilty, too.

Tsunade didn't know what to do.

"Please, just think about it, Tsunade-sama." Shizune asked her before leaving the room.

Tsunade sighed again as she attempted to get Naruto to eat.

"Why does everything have to be so complicated, damn it."

---

It had been ten months since Naruto had been unceremoniously dumped on Tsunade (and to some extent, Shizune) but Sarutobi was no closer it seemed to finding a permanent home for the blonde child.

Tsunade had serious doubts as to whether he was looking all that hard or not.

Tsunade though, already knew that it no longer mattered. So today was the day that she told Sarutobi that she was staying, at least until Naruto became a shinobi (because no matter how much she might hate the idea, she knew for his own safety he'd have to become one).

Tsunade sighed as she looked over at the person who had managed to completely turn her world upside down.

"This is so your fault." She told him. He giggled at her happily.

---

**Author's Note Reprise: **Let's all thank Snicky for beta-ing this. Even if it is 3 weeks late, xD Please tell me what you think in a review, and remember, since I've just started it's your chance to put in suggestions for things you want to see happen! Next chapter will be out after AAP 17.

**Snicky's Note: **hehe. She's baaaack! –with a lovely production, if I must say so myself. I'm glad I'm coming along for the ride. Thanks, Zessei!

**Preview:**

"Shizune-san?" A petite pink haired nurse stood in front of where Shizune and Naruto sat on the floor coloring.

"Yes, Haruno-san?" Shizune asked craning her neck to see Himewari's face. "Can I help you?"

"Well, I just…" Himewari tugged on the hand she was holding, a hand belonging to the tiny pink haired girl currently hiding behind the legs of her mother. "I still need to work, but my babysitter refuses to watch Sakura-chan, says she has a date, and so, I mean, you're already watching Naruto-kun, so would you mind looking after Sakura-chan as well? It would just be for a little while, I promise!"

**REVIEW OR I'LL EAT YOU!!! RAWGH! 10 reviews gets you an OMAKE!**


	2. Chapter 2

**The Nurture Issue**

**Author's Note: **Chapter Two, Yo! Only took a few months too. I'm sorry! But hey I'm finally back, for both my stories, and I hope to never go on such a long hiatus ever again.

However, realistically, I make no promises.

Now I would just like to take a moment to say: Holy Cheese Monkeys! 49 reviews for the first chapter? Love you all!!

It's really nice knowing I have some real fans out there. You know who you are. The ones who read everything I put out (and review it!). You guys are tops!

**Pairings: **This story is NaruSaku, JirTsu, and ShikaTema. If you don't like it then why the hell are you here? Romance however, isn't the central focus of the story, and most of it doesn't even come into play for a while.

**Alternate Universe:** What does alternate universe mean? It means I can do whatever the hell I want and you have to shut up and deal with it. It's my story and I can cry if I want to… wait, that's not quite right.

**Forum: **TNI has a forum just like AAP. Use it for questions, suggestions, discussion, whatever. Link is in my profile.

**BTW: **I don't own Naruto. I do own the plot and any OC's (At the moment though no OC's are planned)

**Childrearing and Other Suicidal Missions**

"Um, Tsunade-sama?" Shizune began rather hesitantly as she walked into the kitchen where Tsunade was currently attempting dinner preparation. "Is there any reason why Naruto-kun is currently sitting in the corner glaring a hole in the wall?"

Indeed the four year old was currently sitting on folded legs in the corner of the small living room of the equally small home that the three of them shared, a dark expression on his face—or at least as dark as that of four year old could get.

"Naruto-kun is currently being punished and he will not be allowed to move from that corner until he has thought about what he's done!" Tsunade replied loudly enough to be heard by the boy two rooms away. Slightly softer, she continued: "Naruto decided it would be a good idea to give his bedroom a new paint job with his finger paints."

"Oh dear, do you think it will come off the walls?" Shizune asked a little dismayed but not too surprised. Antics like this were common with Naruto.

"I hope so, but honestly the walls do need a new paint job, and so do the rest of the rooms in the house." Tsunade sighed deeply. She just didn't have the money to do that.

"You could put in more hours at the hospital, Tsunade-sama." Shizune suggested with a frown. Tsunade insisted on only working one shift a week. She said she needed to watch Naruto but the child was old enough to be left under the care of a genin team on those few occasions Shizune wouldn't be able to watch him. Shizune might work forty hours a week at the hospital but it wouldn't be too hard to work out alternating schedules.

"We've already been over this, Shizune. I will not work anymore at the hospital." Tsunade declared firmly.

"Then why not take up the director's offer to teach a class to some of the civilian nurses and doctors?" Shizune bargained. "He said you wouldn't have to do it in the hospital if you didn't want to."

"I already have you to teach, Shizune. There is no way I could take on a whole class." Tsunade argued back.

"But we could really use the money, Tsunade-sama." Shizune implored. As a nurse, Shizune did not make nearly the amount Tsunade could have made as a doctor; and trying to feed three people, and Tsunade's various addictions, on one small salary was getting tough.

"We're doing okay." Tsunade muttered in reply.

"Barely!" Shizune threw her hands up in the air. "We're living in a rundown tiny house close to the worst part of town and just yesterday I had to beg the grocer to let me start a tab!"

"I'm sure things will get better soon." Tsunade said dismissively.

"How, Tsunade-sama, how are they supposed to get better when you are doing nothing to make them better?" Shizune groaned into her hands before moving around to the refrigerator. "I'll get started on dinner now." Shizune sighed in resignation. Silence reigned for a few minutes as Shizune chopped vegetables.

"What if…" Tsunade started frowning at the table she was sitting at. "What if I took on a couple more shifts."

Shizune looked up from the bok choy she'd been methodically shredding to gape slightly at Tsunade. "Do you really mean it, Tsunade-sama?" She asked rather breathlessly.

"It would only be a couple more shifts. I refuse to work more than twenty hours a week." Tsunade sighed as she began drawing invisible patterns onto the table with her finger. "But, if it would really help us that much for me to work a little more…"

"It would! It would help a lot!" Shizune cut in cheerfully. "Two more shifts a week would bring in…" Shizune stopped to calculate in her mind. "Oh, well, who cares, it would be a lot!" Shizune launched herself at Tsunade for a hug and then moved back to her cooking. "You know what? I think we should go out to eat tonight! To celebrate!"

"Can we get sake?"

--

Shizune hummed to herself a little as she dragged the small blonde child behind her down the halls of the hospital, anxiously waiting for Tsunade to get off her shift to claim him so she could begin her own.

"Would you like to color, Naruto-kun?" She murmured softly to him. "I brought your crayons and coloring books. I don't think Tsunade-sama is going to get off for a while."

"Yay! Coloring!" Naruto cheered and begun walking faster. "I'm gonna color you a picture of a bird, Shizune-nee-chan!"

"That would be lovely Naruto-kun." Shizune smiled fondly down at the child who was currently pulling her towards an abandoned corner of the waiting area close to where Tsunade was probably working. The boy roughly threw himself at the corner and made a beckoning motion with his hands, imploring Shizune to join him. She did so with a laugh and then dug his coloring supplies from her bag.

"Lookie!" The child suddenly called holding up one of the books he'd been leafing through in an effort to find a bird for Shizune as previously promised. "A fox! I'm gonna color it for Tsunade-ba-chan!"

"That's wonderful, Naruto-kun!" Shizune smiled brightly at him, before turning to glare darkly at the people in the room who had begun to mutter and shift away slightly at Naruto's loud proclamation. After giving them Tsunade's Glare of Doom ™, although admittedly not as well as the inventor of it herself, Shizune picked up a book and crayon of her own and began filling in the spots of a dog.

"Shizune-san?" A petite pink haired nurse stood in front of where Shizune and Naruto sat on the floor coloring.

"Yes, Haruno-san?" Shizune asked craning her neck to see Himewari's face. "Can I help you?"

"Well, I just…" Himewari tugged on the hand she was holding, a hand belonging to the tiny pink-haired girl currently hiding behind the legs of her mother. "I still need to work, but my babysitter refuses to watch Sakura-chan, says she has a date, and so, I mean, you're already watching Naruto-kun, so would you mind looking after Sakura-chan as well? It would just be for a little while, I promise!"

"Well of course I don't mind looking after Sakura-chan, but well, are you sure that you're okay with it?" Shizune asked awkwardly.

"He's just a little boy, right?" Himewari smiled a little uncertainly. "I've seen him with you and Tsunade-sensei and he's just a little boy."

"Of course he is." Shizune smiled brilliantly at Himewari before turning to Naruto at her side. "Naruto-kun, do you mind if Sakura-chan joins us for a while?" Naruto looked up to peer at the other child suspiciously.

"She can play with us, but she better not break any crayons." Naruto spoke to Shizune, but was staring at Sakura.

"I promise not to break your crayons." Sakura mumbled while still hiding behind her mother's legs.

"Come on Sakura-chan, sweetie, you'll be fine with Shizune-san and Naruto-kun." Himewari twisted around and knelt on the floor, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her daughter's ear. "Play nice and I'll be back in a little while, okay?"

"'Kay." Sakura mumbled before turning to look at Naruto and Shizune. "Do you have any pictures of ferrets?" She asked. "They're my favorites."

"Don't know!" Naruto spoke cheerfully as Sakura sat on the floor and scooted her way over slowly. "But here, you can use this one." He held a brand new book out to her.

"I'll be back when my shift ends at five, okay?" Himewari asked Shizune who nodded in reply. "Thank you very much, Shizune-san."

"It's nothing, Haruno-san." Shizune smiled. Honestly she was just happy that Naruto had a playmate his age.

"Please call me Himewari." The woman smiled back. "I'm only a few years older than you after all."

"Of course, Himewari-san." The two exchanged good byes and the pink haired nurse returned back to work.

"Here, this is a ferret!" Sakura cheered suddenly holding out the book to Naruto.

"It looks like a rat." Naruto's nose wrinkled.

"It's not a rat!" Sakura yelled at him and then proceeded to hit the blonde over the head with the coloring book.

"Ow!" Naruto cried ducking his head under his arms. "Whatcha hittin' me for?"

"Not a rat!" Sakura repeated, hitting him again.

"Now, now you two, no fighting." Shizune deftly separated the two children as she gently admonished them.

"She started it!" Naruto accused pointing a finger at the pink haired girl.

"Nuh-uh!" Sakura shot back.

"Uh-huh!"

"Nuh-uh!"

"Uh-huh!"

"Nuh-uh!"

"Okay you two, stop that." The two children stopped but glared at each other rebelliously. "Now, Naruto I want you to apologize to Sakura for calling it a rat, and Sakura I want you to apologize to Naruto for hitting him." There were simultaneously cries of "But!" from the two children which Shizune ignored with a practiced air. "Now, please."

"'m sorry." Naruto mumbled sullenly.

"Sorry." Sakura replied, equably sullen.

"Good!" Shizune cheered with a smile. "Now, I'm going to go get us something to drink. What would you like Sakura-chan?"

"Um, juice?" Sakura asked in reply.

"No problem. What kind would you like?" Shizune began to stand up and take a handful of coins out of her pocket.

"Um, grape?" Sakura blinked at her. "Please?"

"Sure thing." Shizune smiled again. "Now, I'll be right back, Naruto…"

"I know, I know!" The small child waved his hand dismissively. "Don't go anywhere and if a stranger tries to bother me I scream."

"Alright, same rules for you Sakura-chan." Shizune patted both the children on the heads and walked off.

"…Um, what're you coloring?" Sakura asked Naruto after a moment.

"A fox!" Naruto told her holding up the partially colored picture. "They're my favorites!"

"Oh." Sakura took the book from his hands to look at the picture. "You're good at coloring." Indeed the fox sleeping under a tree had been colored neatly in red.

"Thanks!" Said Naruto as he took back his book.

"Excuse me? Little girl?" A kind looking woman with long curly blonde hair walked up to the two children. "I don't think you should be playing here. It's not safe." She held a hand out to Sakura and smiled broadly. "Why don't you come with me and we'll go find your parents."

"But, Kaa-chan told me to stay here, with Naruto-kun and Shizune-san." Sakura looked at the woman in confusion. "And then Shizune-san told me to stay with Naruto-kun."

"Hey! If you don't go away and leave us alone I'll scream!" Naruto leapt up from his position on the floor and attempted to insert himself between the stranger and Sakura. The woman frowned deeply, turning her attractive features ugly, and pushed the boy back to the floor.

"Hey! Leave him alone!" Sakura screamed and tried to grab the woman's arms. Everyone else in the waiting room, what few people were there to begin with, possibly not more than five, found something else to focus their attention on or simply left.

"Oh don't worry, sweetheart, I won't hurt you. I'm just going to make sure you're okay." The woman knelt down and attempted to gather up the four-year-old girl in her arms but Sakura was making it as difficult as possible for her.

Naruto had by this point jumped back up and was now taking a deep breath. "TSUNADE-BA-CHAN! SHIZUNE-NEE-CHAN! HELP!" He screamed for all he was worth.

"Quiet brat!" The woman snarled at him.

"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?" Shizune cried running around the corner, three cans of juice in her arms. "LET GO OF SAKURA-CHAN!" She dropped the cans on the floor at the sight of a strange woman pulling on the arms of Sakura.

"I'm just trying to save her from the clutches of that—that monster!" The woman argued back, panicked.

"Don't you dare call him a monster." A tight, deceptively calm voice spoke from behind the stranger. Whirling around, the woman was met with the sight of Tsunade wearing a smock with her hair pulled into a bun, a clipboard clasped, forgotten, in her hand.

"Ah, Tsunade-sama…" Shizune gasped. "I'm so sorry. I only left for a minute to get some juice and…" She trailed off at the angry look in the older woman's eyes.

"Let go of the child." Tsunade bit out through clenched teeth. She didn't recognize the cute little pink haired girl but obviously Shizune and Naruto did. The woman did so immediately, dropping Sakura's arm as though she'd been burned by it. "Now get out. I don't ever want to see you in this hospital again unless you're bleeding out your ears." The woman turned and fled, looking back as though she feared she'd be chased.

Shizune instantly ran to Sakura's side, hands glowing with a diagnostic jutsu, desperately afraid that Sakura had been hurt.

"Are you okay, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked from his position in Tsunade's arms. The Sannin had immediately walked over to Naruto and swept him up into a hug.

"Ye-yeah." Sakura mumbled. "Wh-what did that lady want?"

"That was not a lady." Tsunade murmured darkly in response. "Are _you _okay, Naruto-kun?" Tsunade looked down at the boy in her arms.

"Yep! I'm fine Tsunade-ba-chan!" The boy cheered. "Can I go back to coloring now?"

"Sure." Tsunade smiled at the child before letting him down again. "Shizune, who is this young lady?" she asked as she wondered over to the two of them.

"Oh, this is Haruno Himewari-san's little girl. Haruno Sakura-chan." Shizune explained as the little girl wandered back over to Naruto to resume coloring-in her ferret. "Himewari-san is a nurse here and she needed someone to look after Sakura-chan until she got off work. I said it wouldn't be a problem."

"No, it's not a problem." Tsunade sighed as she began peeling off her smock. "Here, take this. I'm done anyway; I just clocked out." She held out the smock to Shizune to be taken to the laundry. "When was Himewari-san returning?"

"At five, so just a little longer." Shizune told her, taking the smock in hand along with the clipboard. "You three will be okay?"

"We'll be fine, Shizune." Tsunade smiled at her. "I think I can handle watching one little girl along with Naruto-kun for a while." She smiled as she watched Naruto hold up a picture of something to the pink haired child.

"It's nice that he's making a friend, isn't it?" Shizune asked her.

"It is."

--

"Oh! Tsunade-sensei! I had no—I mean I'm sorry to have imposed on you so much!" Sakura's mothered bowed to the seated Tsunade in apology.

"Don't worry. I didn't mind at all. Sakura-chan is a sweet child and Naruto enjoyed having someone to play with." Tsunade looked over at the two children, who were involved in a strange game of rock-paper-scissors that used both hands and followed none of the rules Tsunade was familiar with.

"Oh, I'm glad then." Himewari smiled at Tsunade before turning and calling out to her daughter. "Sakura-chan? Ready to go home now?"

Sakura looked up and, noticing her mother for the first time, ran to open arms. "Kaa-chan!"

"Hello, Sakura-chan. Did you have fun with Naruto-kun?" Himewari asked as she lifted the small pink-haired child up into the air.

"Yeah! Can I play with Naruto-kun again some time?" Sakura had wrapped her arms around her mother's neck but was looking down at Naruto and Tsunade.

"Well, I guess if it's okay with Tsunade-sensei…" Himewari looked back towards Tsunade for an answer.

"What do you say, Naruto? Would you like to play with Sakura-chan again?" Tsunade pulled the blonde boy into her lap and hugged him lightly. She was so happy that he had managed to make a friend. Much to Tsunade's lasting chagrin and disappointment, the fact that she, one of the Legendary Three, cared for Naruto did little to ease the minds of others, and they kept their children away from him as much as they were able. Tsunade took him to the park and children were gently led away from him. They went shopping, children were ushered swiftly out the store. They were seldom rude or obvious about it, but their careful politeness hurt all the same.

"Sure! As long as she doesn't hit me all the time." The little blonde rubbed at his head where Sakura had bashed him with the coloring book.

"You started it!" Sakura accused loudly.

"Nuh-uh!"

"Uh-huh!"

"Children!" Himewari interrupted. "No arguing, alright?"

"Yes…" mumbled the two sulkily.

"Well, why don't we try and arrange a play date then?" Himewari turned back to address Tsunade who had stood with Naruto dangling from her arms.

"Sure. Are you working Saturday, Himewari-san?" Tsunade twisted slightly trying to get a better grasp on the wriggling Naruto as she spoke.

"No, would you like to go to the park to see Naruto-kun on Saturday." Himewari asked her own now fidgety child. The two children were obviously bored with the adults talking and were attempting to get back to their coloring.

"Yeah, okay." Sakura answered as her mother shifted her around.

"Wonderful!" Tsunade cheered while flipping Naruto over to hang upside down in her grasp. "We will see you Saturday, around noon, is that okay?"

"Noon's fine. Chuuou Kita Park is near us. Is it near you?" Himewari caught one of Sakura's flailing hands with little apparent effort.

"It's not too far, it'll be fine." Tsunade began swinging the giggling Naruto back and forth gently by his ankles.

"Very well. Thank you very much, Tsunade-sensei. See you Saturday." With a small bow Himewari turned to leave. Sakura twisted to look over her mother's shoulder and wave energetically at Naruto.

"Bye, Naruto-kun!"

--

"I think we should celebrate!" Shizune cheered as she walked home with Tsunade and Naruto.

"Celebrate what?" Tsunade asked her as she snagged the back of Naruto's shirt, deftly preventing him from wondering over to a mangy stray dog. Naruto pouted at her interference but did not attempt to break free.

"Naruto's first friend of course!" Shizune flung her arms up and out, causing Tsunade to duck hastily to avoid getting smacked.

"The little brat managed to make a friend?" A familiar voice spoke from above their heads right before a figure landed crouched in front of them.

"Ero-ji!" The blonde child called out before launching himself at the older man.

"Damn it! Why the hell did you tell him to call me that!" Jiraiya turned to Tsunade, arms full of blonde child, and glared.

"It fits you so well though." Tsunade smirked before frowning as something occurred to her. "What are you doing here? You said you wouldn't be back before Naruto's birthday."

"Yeah well, plans change, Tsunade-hime." Jiraiya shrugged lazily before grabbing the back of Naruto's shirt and hefting him into the air. "Now what's this about you making a friend?"

"Her name's Sakura-chan! She has pink hair and can color good and knows a lot of fun games and likes fer-fear-" He scrunched up his eyes trying to remember the name of the animal. "Ferrets!" He yelled triumphantly. "But I still say they look like rats."

"Sakura-chan, huh?" Jiraiya broke out in a smile. "So, managed to get yourself a girlfriend huh? Not bad!" Jiraiya held up a thumb at the confused child before getting smacked hard in the head, nearly causing him to lose his hold on Naruto.

"You perverted idiot! Don't say things like that to a child!" Tsunade hissed at him rather loudly.

"Perhaps we should continue this discussion at home?" Shizune suggested rather tiredly. Jiraiya always caused her master to act like this, and an old man had just come out of his house to stare at them.

"Fine, but you can't stay there Jiraiya, there isn't enough room for your fat self." Tsunade quickly snatched Naruto from Jiraiya's hold and walked off, nose in the air.

"Just who are you calling fat?!" Jiraiya screamed in outrage as he trailed after Tsunade.

"You, obviously."

--

Jiraiya stood in the doorway of a tiny room watching as the four-year-old breathed deeply in his sleep. He didn't acknowledge Tsunade as she came up behind him, but a moment later he opened his mouth to talk.

"How's he been?" Jiraiya kept his voice light and soft, so Tsunade wouldn't hear the real worry in it. It didn't fool the woman for a moment.

"It's not too bad." She sighed as she tugged briefly on Jiraiya's arm before walking down to the living room, trusting Jiraiya to follow her.

"But it's not too good either, is it?" Jiraiya plopped down on a low, beat up sofa, running a large palm over his face.

"I think it's getting better. He made a friend today and her mom seems okay with him and well, he always has us, right? You and me and Shizune and Sarutobi-sensei. We'll always be here." Tsunade smiled at him.

"No, we won't." Jiraiya slumped down, elbows on knees as he peered unseeingly at the posters tape on the opposite wall. Shizune had put them up in an effort to introduce color to the dim room. "And that's the problem. We can't always be there for him. He needs people his own age. He needs people _period_."

"Hey, I don't know about you but I certainly don't plan on kicking the bucket anytime soon." Tsunade frowned at her former teammate, angry at his defeatist attitude and the not so subtle reminder of her age.

"Still, I never thought it would be quite this bad, especially not after four years." Jiraiya sat back suddenly and stretched, arms landing on the back of the couch.

"I did. People have long memories, Jiraiya, especially when it comes to people they love and things they hate. Hate festers, same as love grows." Tsunade shrugged lazily as she leaned her head back on Jiraiya's arm. "I'm not too worried. Naruto is a good person, I know he is. He'll make others love him, with time."

"Huh, if you say so, Tsunade-hime, if you say so."

--

**OMAKE:** **Bringing Up Baby or No Rest For The Medics**

"It's your turn!" Tsunade screamed to Shizune over the sounds of Naruto's cries. At five months, the child still was not sleeping through the night and Tsunade was almost to the point of drugging him to keep him quiet. Just one night! That's all she wanted, just one night of peaceful, calm, SILENT, rest.

Was that really too much to ask?

"It is NOT my turn, it's yours!" Shizune yelled back through the thin walls of the rental house. Her call was slightly muffled by the pillow she had under her head.

"DAMN IT!" Tsunade screamed before flinging her covers off her and storming off to Naruto's nursery. Her ire instantly cooled at the sight of a flailing and crying infant and she felt a small tug on her heart as she lifted him into her arms. Tsunade didn't know what was causing Naruto to wake up constantly in the night; especially when nothing seemed to be the matter like now, but she thought it might have been nightmares.

Or, she thought as the child she was holding decided to throw up all over her nightgown, he might have been sick.

"SHIZUNE! I TOLD YOU IT WAS YOUR TURN!"

--

**Author's Note Reprise: **Even though this chapter is vital to the plot, it is a little boring, sorry. The next chapter not only is a little more fun, but it introduces some more characters. It won't be out for a while though. I'm having trouble finding the time to write, what with work, surgeries, and vacations, not to mention my laptop crashed right after I posted AAP 17, and just now has it been fixed.

Remind me to post my pictures from Florida and Nashville (the anime con) for you all to look at!

**Snick's Note: **eheheh…seeya guy's in another month!

**Names and Such: **As you may have notice Naruto is referring to Tsunade as Tsunade-Ba-chan, which means Auntie Tsunade basically, rather than Tsunade-Baa-chan which means Granny Tsunade. I can't see Tsunade allowing herself to be called a mother and we all know how she feels about Granny, so I felt that Auntie was a good compromise.

Haruno Himewari is what I decided to name Sakura's mother as I do not know her real name. Himewari means sunflower. And yes, it's a completely predictable name. Deal with it. I love the name Himewari.

Himewari refers to Tsunade as Tsunade-sensei due to the fact that Tsunade is a doctor, pretty much.

Ero-ji basically translates to Uncle Pervert.


End file.
